Descriptive characteristics of included prescription claims*
| FC (n=151 632) | FDC (n=307 833) | Standardised mean difference | |
| Age of prescription recipient (years) | |||
| Mean (SD) | 70.1 (12.0) | 67.1 (12.5) | 0.021 |
| Female prescription recipient, n (%) | 72 968 (48.1) | 154 037 (50.0) | 0.077 |
| Antihypertensive type†, n (%) | |||
| Beta blocker | 4630 (3.1) | 1294 (0.4) | 1.246 |
| ACE inhibitor (±beta blocker) | 69 671 (45.9) | 108 671 (35.3) | 0.553 |
| ARB (±beta blocker or ACE inhibitor) | 77 331 (51.0) | 197 868 (64.3) | 0.446 |
| Total number of antihypertensive DDDs prescribed | |||
| Mean (SD) | 87.3 (31.1) | 88.7 (26.1) | 0.017 |
| Any other BP drugs, n (%) | 67 356 (44.4) | 104 454 (33.9) | 0.294 |
| Any other CV drug, n (%) | 9020 (5.9) | 12 625 (4.1) | 0.308 |
| Any antiplatelet/anticoagulant, n (%) | 72 333 (47.7) | 105 838 (34.4) | 0.450 |
| Any cholesterol drug, n (%) | 82 553 (54.4) | 138 484 (45.0) | 0.359 |
| Any diabetic drug, n (%) | 18 036 (11.9) | 25 090 (8.2) | 0.248 |
| Number of other items on prescription | |||
| Median (IQR) | 2 (1–4) | 2 (0–3) | 0.064 |
*Issued to 49 283 patients.
†Prescriptions containing ≥1 antihypertensive type were categorised in a hierarchy as follows: 1090 ARB prescriptions also contained a combination involving an ACE inhibitor and 34 involving a beta blocker. Ninety-six ACE inhibitor prescriptions also contained a combination involving a beta blocker.
ARB, angiotensin II receptor blocker; BP, blood pressure; CV, cardiovascular; DDD, defined daily dosage; FC, free combination; FDC, fixed-dose combination.